Looking Ahead

Let the looking back be behind us.

Top Ten lists are great. Reminiscence and nostalgia are really nice this time of year.

But just like getting over the hump of the solstice and knowing that, even though it's tough to tell, the days are getting longer, I always love the feeling of turning that corner of December far enough to be able to look ahead.

There's a new year coming. I'll stop short of making resolutions just yet, but there's plenty to be excited about. Like: This veritable butt-load of new music I just got to sift through for the radio station. Much of it is me catching up (Amon Tobin, Christopher Willits, singles from Crystal Stilts, Daedelus, Bass Drum of Death!), but not all of it (Weekend, Ford & Lopatin, Prefuse 73) and there's lots more coming. Great to see we're on the radar of labels and publicists and artists, and the library is swelling. This will only get better.


Better: Theo is talking nonstop. New words every day, seriously. Cathy was delighted when last night he finally, clearly and without a doubt as to what he meant, said Mommy. The kid can melt your heart without even trying. And he climbs everything, including me. We are having a great time together, getting out a lot, spending time. The family's good.

Both grandmas are here these days, which is fantastic. It's so nice seeing Theo grow up with our moms, and his aunt and uncle, seeing them taking care of him and teaching him stuff.

And then, there's snow. Not much. But there was snow on the ground this morning. We must be optimistic here.

So, winter's here, 2012 is coming, and it's time to get ready for it. For all of it.

Fish Watch

Apparently, Edwards Greenhouse is Theo's new favorite place. I can see why.

Skiing on Streets

JP Auclair Street Segment (from All.I.Can.) from Sherpas Cinema on Vimeo.

I'm not big on ski movies, but this is amazing. And the soundtrack is pretty awesome too.

PNYE.11!!!!

Hey y'all, it's that time again. RadioBoise's 6th annual Practice New Year's Eve Party is this Saturday night, and it's gonna be a great one. Great bands, KRBX DJs, food, beer from Payette Brewery, and a whole lot of people who are really excited about their new community radio station.

Starts at 6:30 in the ground floor of the Empire Building, at 10th and Idaho. You won't be able to miss us. Hope to see you there!

Motian on KRBX

An update to the previous post:

Our man John McCarthy will pay tribute to the late and truly great drummer Paul Motian on his Wednesday morning radio show, Jazz: Beyond the Sky. I can say with all confidence that this will be a great show, so don't miss it. In fact, once you listen, you'll probably start tuning in every week. Bet ya.

Wednesday, 9 to 11am, 89.9fm and www.radioboise.org.

Paul Motian

I just read that Paul Motian died a few days ago. He was 80.

His passing is a huge loss for jazz and for drums. His playing was always remarkable and identifiable, loose and fun but never ostentatious or flaunty.

My first recording with him on drums was on a Montreal Jazz Festival CD with Geri Allen and Charlie Haden. It blew me away, and that led me to my favorite of Motian's recurring collaboration, with Joe Lovano and Bill Frisell.

This feels like a good time to cozy back up to my jazz records. They've been getting dusty lately, and that just ain't right.

Them Gourds

Our favoritest indescribablest band gets their rock tipped up and looked under by NPR Music this week. Read the article, enjoy the interview, dig the great set.

Uncle Kevin

Theo had fun meeting his Uncle Kevin this past weekend.

Bleep

I guess this is sort of a commercial, except for the part where I get paid, but for you electronic music luvvahs out there who don't know about this yet, check out Bleep.com. Great music, attention to art, easy to explore and learn about new stuff. I subscribe to their newsletter and read through it every time.

Radiothon Wrap-Up

This is tonight, starting at 6pm at the station headquarters. That's the Alaska Center, on Main St. between 10th and 11th, next to the Bouquet, in the basement. Should be fun!

Happy Friday

This ad for Gernika is awesome.

Wye Oak:Danzig

Wye Oak covers Danzig

First Radiothon Headed Your Way!

Hey people, here's a heads-up for you. If you read this blog, you know about RadioBoise, and you know how awesome it is and how much it means to me, and to this community.

This Wednesday we start our first fundraising drive, and it goes through next Thursday, 11/3. I'll be sending out requests for support and info on special programming we're having. We have a goal of 500 new members and/or $25,000, which may sound like a lot but is a pretty modest goal.

So, look for a message from me, tune in to 89.9fm or http://www.radioboise.org/ whenever you can, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Happy Friday

Fall Hike

Cathy and the boy took Henry for a hike today. I love fall in Boise.

OWS v. FOX

Nice to see this stuff gaining traction. And nice to see the actual peeps on the ground state their case so eloquently, much to the chagrin of the establishment and their fellatiators.

Happy Friday

Stole this from the Facebutts. But is that really stealing?

Future Islands

New album out this week! It's called On the Water, and so far I'm loving it--more of the intense, howling break-up songs that we loved on last year's In Evening Air, but with more mood, more bass, more rending of throat and garment. Great and unique stuff.

Middle Fork Salmon River

We launched on Sunday, 9/25, about 2 in the afternoon. You load your boat up on this humungous ramp and slide 'er on down--or in our case, push hard to get it down the ramp as the boats were so heavy they wouldn't slide.

The clouds and rain that hit us this first day and night would be the last we'd see on the trip.



Spent out first night just a few miles from the put-in, at Gardell's Hole. Very nice site. We got rained on overnight, and in the morning our tents and tarps were coated in frost.

The next day we got into some serious fishing. The rapids were tight and the boulder gardens required much jumping into the water to free up the boats, but that made for an active day in the raft and was actually really fun.







Camp was busy and fun. Always work to do, always cocktails being made.



And there was costume party for Linda's birthday. Derek washes the ball...



And the scenery? Sheesh. Some nice hot springs, too. This is sunflower.



The fishing only got better, too. The cutthroats did not disappoint--they were plentiful, and they were hungry. Most were in the 8 to 12 inch range, but we pulled a few nice ones out, along with a veritable butt-load of rainbows (future steelhead).

I spent a little time on the oars, but our boat was big and heavy, and my skills not quite up to the task of keeping us off the rocks. So, Zach gave me a few turns, but he was at the help for most of the trip. Which, for me, meant more fishing.


The views were amazing, whenever I could look up from reading water or watching a fly to appreciate them.

The camps and sites were fairly spotless, too. Nice to know that rules and protections, when respected and enforced, can work, keeping this stretch of river all but pristine in the face of thousands of visitors every year.


Camped in among the boulders our last night out. Lived like the mountain sheep. And saw some, too.

7 days passed in a flash. We were busy nearly the whole time, but that's the price you pay for going with friends and not on a commercial trip. And it was fantastic. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I Like My Bike